Indiana could become the first US state to allow use of the baby boxes on a broad scale to prevent dangerous abandonments of infants if a bill, which unanimously passed the House this week, clears the state Senate.

A coalition of 17 US states led by Texas have filed a federal lawsuit aiming to block implementation of President Barack Obama`s executive order shielding some five million undocumented immigrants from deportation.

Texas is leading a 17-state coalition suing over President Barack Obama's recently announced executive actions on immigration, arguing in a lawsuit that the move "tramples" key portions of the US Constitution.

Few days after an Islamic State video was posted online threatening to kill a 26-year-old US hostage Peter Kassig, the captive's parents have released excerpts from a letter written by him during the ISIS captivity.